Former Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly warned veteran defender Thiago Silva, 36, about the threat an injury poses to him.

The Brazilian opened the scoring against West Ham with a bullet header at Stamford Bridge

Desailly told Goal: “I was scared about him coming at the beginning but mentally he was strong enough to handle his mistake against West Brom.

“He is a leader, a former captain in Paris, but in France they say he just fell short in the later rounds of the Champions League.

“Let’s see. He has fitted well in the system and performed but we have to hope he doesn’t get injured.

“At 36, as soon as you have an injury, it is difficult to overcome.”